Florida has a serious need for individuals with heavy equipment training. New construction happens on a daily basis and the need for these individuals increases during every hurricane season. There is always work to be done after a severe storm such as Hurricane Andrew. Those individuals with this type of training receive a higher starting pay and are more in demand than other employees.
National Heavy Equipment Operators School
The National Heavy Equipment Operators School is located in Green Cove Springs, Florida. This 8,000 square foot school is equipped with everything a student needs to work with heavy equipment. School officials believe in using a diverse range of equipment and equipment from different companies because they realize that brands vary dramatically. All of the instructors hired by the school receive training through the State of Florida and are also licensed by the state to work as instructors.
Florida Department of Transportation
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) began running its own heavy equipment training beginning in 2002. The program began in Orlando and has since spread into other locations. FDOT uses the program to train new workers and current employees on how to use the heavy equipment needed on job sites. While it is not open to everyone, employees can also request admittance to the program. The state hopes to further enhance the program by teaching the courses at community colleges across the state.
Heavy Equipment Operating Schools
Heavy Equipment Operating Schools are located in several states including Florida, where it is an accredited school. It offers a truck driving school as well as courses in operating cranes and general heavy equipment. The heavy equipment program focuses on basic techniques as well as specific courses on different types of machinery, such as loaders and bulldozers. They have three levels of courses, with Level I the most basic and Level III focusing on specific types of heavy machinery.
ATS
ATS is the Associated Training Services and is billed as the largest heavy operations school in the country. It offers courses in several states, but its Florida branch is one of the largest. Students enter the program by taking Level 1 courses and advance to the two higher levels. Before students can take courses in Level 3, they must pass the earlier courses. Completion of all three levels is required for a heavy equipment operators certificate from the school.
Heavy Equipment Training Academy
Heavy Equipment Training Academy (HETA) offers coursework in Florida. The unique thing about this company is that instructors come directly to a job site to train workers instead of inviting students to a specific campus. This allows the students to learn directly on the machines and equipment that they will use on a daily basis instead of similar products. Loaders, graders, backhoes, bulldozers and excavators are only a few of the different types of equipment that students train on.
